1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of and apparatus for obtaining data regarding refilled toner, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for obtaining data regarding toner refilled in an image forming apparatus, to acquire the highest printing quality using the refilled toner.
2. Description of Related Art
An image forming apparatus, e.g., a printer or a multifunctional apparatus, receives a character or image data signal and reproduces characters or images on a recording medium. The multifunctional apparatus has plural functions such as those of a printer, a scanner, a duplicator, and a facsimile machine. In general, the image forming apparatus includes a photoreceptor (e.g., a photoreceptor drum or a photoreceptor belt) that forms a latent electrostatic image, a charging unit that charges the photoreceptor, an exposing unit that exposes the photoreceptor to light to selectively remove the charge and forms a latent electrostatic image, a developing device that develops the latent electrostatic image by supplying a developing medium, e.g., toner, onto the exposed latent electrostatic image, and a transcribing device that transcribes the developed image onto a recording medium.
In general, when the image forming apparatus completely consumes its toner, the developing device is replaced or toner is refilled into the old developing device. If the quality of the refilled toner is better than that of the consumed toner, or the quality of the toner in the new developing device is better than that of toner in the old developing device, toner information is changed. A characterization value of a printer driver or the firmware or engine of the image forming apparatus may be set according to the toner information. In this case, when the quality of toner is improved, the characterization value must be changed according to the information regarding the improved toner quality. However, conventionally, even if the quality of toner is improved, the characterization value is not changed, thereby limiting the possible improvement in printing quality.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,226,025 discloses a method of obtaining the highest printing quality even when a developer is changed. Although this patent teaches effective management of a developer and a developing unit, it does not suggest a method of acquiring information regarding toner.